I Gazed Into My Soul, and Was Surprised
by karkashan
Summary: Current chapter, 'Apparently she wanted a cookie' Oneshot collection, Pairings vary, mostly EdxRiza. updates infrequent. Was The Toll of Sin. Second chap the original oneshot.
1. The Flame's sigh of relief

The Flame's Sigh of Relief

Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist and current Fuhrer of his home country, let out a sigh as he sat down in a back row pew of a small local church. His wife of three years sat quietly beside him, their eleven month old son in her arms. He shifted closer to her and put his arm around her, drawing the woman he loved and his only son close to him.

His wife, a woman named Rose he had met when visiting the remnants of the shattered church of Leto, had been a surprise to many of his direct subordinates. They were mostly surprised because this had been the first girlfriend he had had that he had taken seriously. Riza Hawkeye had threatened to shoot his family jewels with a shotgun if he hurt 'that poor girl', as she had put it. But there had been no need to worry, as he was actually genuinely in love with the multi-color haired girl.

Roy looked up on stage, where the Fullmetal Alchemist and his brother Alphonse were the groom and best man, respectively. Edward had a stupidly deliriously happy expression on his face, and his brother had a smirk on his. Earlier that day, Alphonse had confided to Roy that he had found his brother getting married one of the more amusing moments of his life. Roy was inclined to agree.

Roy remembered with amusement when the two getting married first started dating. Ed had first asked his soon to be wife on their first date by sending back her gun by mail, along with a note asking her out also in the package. Roy had busted out laughing when had seen her red faced reaction to the proposal.

It had been two weeks after Roy's rise to power that Ed had finally popped the question, after much prodding by all of his male friends, especially his brother and Roy. That had been the first time in a long while that Roy had seen her speechless, as she had been so overcome with emotion she had barely been able to nod before squeezing all of the air out of the Fullmetal's lungs.

The ceremony almost over, Roy finally began to pay attention. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Edward Elric!"

Roy let out a sigh of relief. He had thought a couple of years ago that they would never have figured out their feelings for one another. But now he didn't have to worry, Edward Elric, and his new bride Riza Elric, would be just fine.

FIN

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

_**(Music track: Country Grammar)(Isn't that an old one?XP)**_

AN: Well wasn't that just a whole pot full of sap? I finally got some downtime during the move and my sister's wedding, and was 'inspired' to write this….hope you enjoyed it. I've found my new favorite pairing from Fullmetal Alchemist, and that is EdxRiza! No idea why though, I just really enjoy it. I may end up doing something multi-chap, but I'll most likely end up posting it in this oneshot collection.

I know it sounds cheesy but…EdxRiza fans unite!



Comments in the form of reviews would be most welcome…..


	2. The Lady and Pride

The Lady and Pride

Wrath was usually not one to feel the pitiful human emotion known as joy, but when his Father's plans went as smoothly as they had been, he just couldn't help himself. As expected, General Armstrong had taken care of that fool Raven, and had asked to join the 'inner circle'. She did not realize, however, that events had been carefully orchestrated so that she would be under his thumb.

As Wrath walked down the halls, he sensed Envy pass him by, disguised as a soldier under the Fuhrer's direct command. He nodded his head, and noticed that the elder Homunculi wanted to talk. He put on a fake smile and asked the disguised Envy if he would like to join him in his office for a cup of coffee and some fresh fruit.

As soon as the door closed, Envy immediately reverted back to 'original' appearance. His expression was glum as he began to speak to his younger sibling, "I just got back from speaking to Father. It seems as if he has denied your request."

Wrath shook with his sin and had to take several seconds to compose himself before inquiring, "And did he give a reason why?"

Envy just shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I don't know either. I mean, it would just be easier to get rid of that girl here and now, instead of allowing her to live to ferret out even more secrets about us. Why delay the inevitable? Why won't he let you kill her?"

"Because," said the voice of a small boy, "she belongs to me and me alone."

Both Envy and Wrath turned around quickly in surprise to face their elder brother. Selim Bradley, or as he was known to his siblings and Father, Pride, was sitting in a large stuffed chair in a dark corner of the room. His eyes flashed red as he gazed at them, before getting up out of the chair and walking towards them. He was dressed sharply, and his stride was crisp and militaristic, frightening because of both of those aspects.

Wrath restrained himself with effort and asked, "And why, pray tell, does she solely belong to you and you alone?"

Pride laughed like a little child and said in his cutest voice, "Because, silly, it is one of my many rewards for putting up with the pressures of pretending to be a human child."

Wrath growled deep in his throat, and heard Envy do the same. He restrained himself yet again and asked, "But I also have to pretend to be a human and have those petty human emotions. Why do you get to dispose of her?"

Pride's eyes narrowed and he replied, "That's enough Wrath! This is one of the wishes of Father, and I will tolerate this disobedient behavior no longer. It is time you realized your place in the scheme of things, Wrath. You too, Envy. You both are fortunate that Father has been so lax with the both of you so far, but that time has come to an end. You _will _obey Father, and if I hear another word or grumble of complaint about him from either of you, well, you both know what will happen." He smiled sweetly at them, his eyes flashing red before returning to their normal color. "Do I make myself clear?"

The two previously angry Homunculi both simultaneously responded, "Crystal."

Pride laughed his boyish laughed and clapped his hands in 'joy', "Good."

Just then, Riza Hawkeye opened the door, carrying in refreshments for the Fuhrer and his guest. Wrath glanced over at Envy, and had to restrain a chuckle. It never got old. Envy's reaction was always great, his expression always priceless when he was forced to transform in a heartbeat. He had to suppress a grin though, at his transformed brother's glare.

She blinked a couple of times in surprise, before saying, "Hello there, Selim, how are you today?"

Pride smiled back at her and replied, "I'm doing just fine today, Miss Riza." She smiled at him and then proceeded to place the refreshments out in front of the General and his guest. Right before she was about to take her leave, Pride spoke back up, "Oh yeah, Miss Riza, I almost forgot to tell you. My father has decided that you should take the afternoon off. Spend it with whomever you like, though I suggest you spend it with that cool guy, the Flame Alchemist."

She looked at the Fuhrer, and Wrath nodded his head and smiled, before saying, "Ah yes, could you take these with you to him as well? He needs to review these and sign them off. Thank you, you're dismissed."

She saluted him and headed out with the files in hand, but she was once again stopped by the little boy. "Before you go, Miss Riza, I made this for you today in my language class. I thought it pertained to you, so I though you should have it." He then handed her a folded piece of paper.

And as she walked towards Roy's office, she pulled out the paper to look at it. It seemed to be a short story, about a Frederick and a Rebecca. They were having a conversation. Her eyes widened. It was the exact same conversation she had had with the Colonel in order to inform him about Selim's true nature. And every letter that had been apart of the secret message had been underlined in red.

And in a tiny and messy scrawl beneath the dialogue, were the words, "You two really should work on a more complex coding system, or else who knows who might find out what you two are _really_ talking about.

XOXO---Selim."


	3. The Lady and Joe

The Lady and Joe

Riza's breath was visible this night, the cold air causing it to obscure her view of one side of the street for a few seconds. She shoved her hands deep into the pockets of her coat, drawing said article of clothing tighter to herself. Sometimes she caught herself wondering why she signed up for this job. No amount of money could be worth _this_? Could it?

It would have to be an incredible raise in order to qualify for 'I get paid enough for this.' Currently, this wasn't the case, and she just wished that the person would just hurry up and pick up the package that she was 'delivering'.

"You seem a little cold, Hawkeye." said a masculine voice behind her.

She turned around and looked at the barely taller than her Edward Elric, hands carrying something, though she could not tell what. She rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the trash can across the street.

"I thought I told you to call me Riza, Fullmetal." She said.

"And I thought I told you I would only call you that if you called me by my first name, Riza." He replied with humor.

"Sure thing, Edward." She paused and looked over at him, "What's that you got there?"

Pulling them out from his sleeves, (she had no idea how he did that) he presented to her eyes two mugs filled with steaming liquid. "You looked like you could use some coffee, Riza, so I thought I'd stand out here with you and keep you company for a while, as well as give you something warm to drink." He handed her one of the mugs.

"Thank you, Edward." She took a cautious sip, savoring the flavor. She looked at the cup curiously, "Did you put something in this? It tastes great."

He took a small sip before replying, "Brown sugar," he said.

"It doesn't taste like that's all that's in there, Edward."

He smiled, "Well, if you want to know what else is in there, I could always show you the recipe, though it may take some practice to get it right."

They both watched in silence as a car pulled up on the side of the road, picked up a manila envelope from the trash can, then immediately left the neighborhood.

She took a larger gulp of the cooler coffee, then told him, "If you want, we could go back to my place after this and you could show me."

He raised an eyebrow, offering her his arm as he asked, "Is that an invite to stay the night as well?"

"We'll just have to see where things go after the coffee recipe sharing." She replied, linking her free arm in his as they headed back towards her apartment.

He chuckled with good humor, letting out a billowing cloud of steam as he said, "I'm looking forward to it."

--

Fin…..

-- -- --(**Track-Stone Tower Instrumental Remix by unknown artist)**

AN: Yay! Another one-shot done. This came to me when I was looking up information about a coffee drink somebody made me once. It was called Hot Buttered Coffee. Of course, I had the non-alcoholic version, considering I was underage at the time, but I do remember it was really good, even if I don't remember when, where, or who gave it to me.

I found _a_ recipe on , although I don't remember any cloves or nutmeg in my drink.

Anyway, reviews are welcome as always, so tell me if you enjoyed this one or not.

**Hot Buttered Coffee**

1 teaspoon unsalted butter  
1 teaspoon brown sugar  
5-6 ounces freshly brewed Jamaican coffee, steaming  
1 whole clove  
1 tablespoon dark rum  
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Put butter in an Irish coffee glass or mug, and then pour in the steaming coffee.  
Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Add clove and rum. Dust with nutmeg.


	4. Only Room For Two

Only room for Two

"_The battlefield is no place for a woman, nor is it a place for a man. The battlefield only has room for two things, an army trying to come out on top, and an army that is about to." –Unknown._

"Colonel, get down!"

Riza Hawkeye barely managed to duck under cover before a blazing fireball roared over her head. She turned her head to the young man crouching in the bunker alongside her. "Thank you, Edward." she said.

"Don't thank me yet," he replied. He grimaced as they both heard another thunderous explosion. A crazed militant group of religious fanatics over five hundred strong with the backing of thirteen alchemists who had been denied the 'privilege' of State Alchemist had broken out in rebellion in the east. Currently, twelve of those alchemists and four hundred and ninety of the militants had been wiped out by an eastern army under the command of the newly promoted General Edward Elric. So far, Edward's army had suffered fifteen casualties, a surprisingly low number considering the skill of the militant group and the relative young age of the golden haired General.

"I'll never understand why the bastard of a Fuhrer Roy stuck me with this operation. Wouldn't it have been better to let a more experienced General take charge of this battle?"

"Because, Edward," Riza said, "if your memory is as good as mine, you may recall that most of the veterans in the upper echelons of the military were wiped out along with the old regime under the Homunculus."

"Oh yeah…" he said with a pained grin on his face, scratching his face as he winced, "Kinda forgot about that."

Riza shook her head. "Never mind," she said. "Now what are we going to do about that annoyance in that tower? We can't get troops up there the normal way, via the stairs; his gunners would just mow them down. And none of us can get a clear enough shot to take them out. Explosions are a bit risky, as we could end up blowing ourselves up, considering that tower stands on a munitions warehouse. Any bright ideas, General?"

Ed bit on the edge of his thumb in thought, and was quiet for a time before he replied, saying, "I think I might have one…."

"You do?!" exclaimed Riza in surprise. "What is it?"

"It's only something I can do, with alchemy. However, I'm gonna get really tired after this," he smirked at her, "so I'm going to need some _serious_ motivation if I'm to wrap this little battle up."

Riza smiled and crawled towards him. She took out her hair tie and let her hair fall down to rest a little below her shoulder blade. "And what," she said huskily, "kind of, _motivation_ do you need, Edward?"



Ed reached out and gently pulled one of Riza's errant locks of hair behind her ear. His smirk grew wider as he said, "I think you get the idea, Riza."

"Then here it is." she said softly, before gently placing her lips on his own. Soon, however, each of their mouths opened and the 'kiss' continued on in earnest, now with both of their tongues battling for supremacy.

All too soon, especially for Edward, the kiss ended, and he groaned his disappointment.

Riza placed one finger on his lips, "If you wrap this up nice and neat, Edward, I might just let you continue where we left off later tonight." She smiled, "Is that enough motivation for you?"

There are two things that every soldier under the command of General Edward Elric and his Colonel, Riza Elric, can remember without fail for the rest of their lives. The first is the impressive sight of the tower where the last remnants of the militants were holed up in suddenly collapsing, killing all inside and harming nothing else.

Second, they could remember one of the maids at the hotel they were staying at informing one of the younger soldiers about the 'strange noises' she had heard coming from the General and Colonel's room the night before, and again that morning.

That, and one of the old vets saying, "Ah, to be young again."

-- -- -- --

FIN

AN: Kind of a different kind of one-shot, at least for me. Hope people still consider that to be in the realm of T. I'm pretty sure it was, but I've heard stories of edits being forced for less.

Reviews are welcome, tying cinderblocks to my feet and throwing me into a river isn't what I would call a welcome response, but I'll understand if you do.

**(Tracks while typing, Wisin y Yandel ft. Jayco: Perdido, Wisin: No Se)**


	5. This is the army Mr Jones

This is the army Mr. Jones

"I never thought you would ever even consider remaining in the military, and yet here you are, all of twenty years old and already a full Colonel."

The twenty year old man looked up from the book he was reading and stared at the depressed man sitting backwards in his chair. "What's wrong, Breda? You almost seem…upset or something that I stayed in the military."

The larger man grumbled under his breath and buried his head further into his folded arms.

The young man smirked at this, "What's the matter Breda? Lose a bet or something?"

The other man nodded. "Was it a large bet?" again, another nod. "Lose it to Havoc?" yet again, another depressed nod. The young man then proceeded to laugh out loud, which didn't go over well with his companion.

"Shut it, Fullmetal."

Ed raised an eyebrow and smiled. He leaned forward, pretending to have failing hearing as he said, "What was that you said, Captain Breda?"

"Shut it, Fullmetal sir." was the terse reply.

Ed's grin grew wider, "That's what I thought you said."

They both heard a knock, and turned to see three more men enter the office. Edward waved casually at them as they came inside, "Hey there Fuery, Havoc, Fulman."

Fuery and Fulman went straight to their desks, but Havoc stopped halfway there. He looked around the room with a quizzical expression on his face. "Wait a minute….something doesn't seem right here." He scratched his chin in thought, his fingers twitching to grab a smoke. He then snapped his fingers and said, "Oh yeah, that's it!" He turned to Edward and asked, "Where's Hawkeye?"

The two who had entered in with him gave a little jump in surprise and looked up from their work.

"You're right Havoc," said Fuery, "I don't see her here at all."

"This is a strange occurrence indeed," said Fulman. "Has something happened?"

Ed sat down on his desk, placing one of his feet on the knee of his other leg. He waved his hand flippantly as he answered the question left hanging in the air, "Don't worry about it, Fulman. I spoke with her earlier this morning, she said she would be coming in late today, if she even came in at all."

-- -- -- -- -- -- --



As Riza headed towards the office after lunch, she noticed something odd. The door to the office was shut, which was strange since it was normally left open. When she got closer to the door, she didn't have to strain too much in order to hear five men she knew fairly well singing an old war song.

_This is the army Mr. Jones, no private rooms or telephones, you had your breakfast in bed before, but you won't have it there anymore._

_This is the army Mr. Green, we like our barracks nice and clean, you had a housemaid to clean your floor, but she won't help you out anymore._

_Do what the buglers command, they're in the army, and not in a band._

_This is the army Mr. Brown, you and your baby went to town, she had you worried but this is war, but she won't worry you anymore._

_No she won't worry you anymore!_

Riza smiled softly, and was about to enter the office when she heard Havoc ask, "So, Ed, when did you talk to the Lieutenant? I wasn't aware of the fact that you two lived all that close together. Mind explaining?"

Before Ed could formulate a coherent reply, Riza walked into the office and over towards where the Fullmetal Alchemist was standing. She stepped up close to the blond man, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him deeply.

Havoc dropped his cigarette, Fulman opened his eyes, Fuery did a double take, and Breda fell out of his chair.

Sitting in Edwards lap, she kept an arm around his neck as she turned towards Havoc and replied, "Does that answer your question, Havoc?"

--

Fin…

AN: Still no idea how this little nugget plopped itself into my brain, but meh. I'm posting this in both the one-shot collection and by itself. I'm doing this because I feel like posting it by itself, but since it's a FMA one-shot, it also goes into the collection.

And if you didn't notice already, none of my one-shots go in any semblance of an ordered timeline.


	6. Fullmetal Gangster

Fullmetal Gangster

"Oh come on, Mustang, don't be stingy."

Fuhrer Roy Mustang of Amestris closed his eyes, and did his best to control his now twitchy eyebrow. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Fullmetal."

Edward Elric, dressed in his military uniform, the stars on his shoulders denoting his rank, smiled cheekily at his commander and chief. "I think you know what I'm talking about, Roy. It was about two nights ago, and it involved a poker game and a couple IOU's."

Roy said nothing, opting to walk through the halls in silence. Much to his chagrin, the Major General walking next to him wouldn't leave him alone.

"The cold shoulder isn't going to work, Roy." Edward then pulled out a piece of paper that had a modest sum written out on it, as well as the dark haired man's signature. "You owe me, and today is the day that bills need to be paid, at least in your case."

Roy sighed and fished around his uniform for his wallet, "Will you please just shut it already, Fullmetal? Here's your damn money." He handed Edward a wad of bills.

Ed smiled as he counted them in his hands, before his grin became a frown and he glared at the Fuhrer. "Gah! Is this really all you have?! Don't hold back, you stingy Mustang!"

Roy's reply was just as enthusiastic as Edward's had been, "What are you, a gangster?"

They both stopped in the middle of the hallway, glaring deep into each other's eyes. Finally, after what had seemed like an eternity, Roy's scowl deepened, and he gave Edward the rest of the promised amount.

Ed recounted the bills he had in hand and his smile reappeared. Patting the other man on the back, Edward strode off down the hall, back in the direction they had both come from. "Thanks, Roy! I was out of cash today and all the banks were all closed." It wasn't long before he started running, "You're a lifesaver!"

Roy deadpanned, "He is a gangster…."

Later, as he did the paperwork he thought he wouldn't have to do as Fuhrer, he smiled and began to laugh. His wife, who was just entering the room, looked at him strangely, "Is everything all right dear?"

He smiled as he replied, "Remember how I told you General Elric was acting towards me earlier?" His wife nodded. "I just realized why. He had reservations for two to a fancy restaurant tonight, and I guess he forgot to get money before today."

His wife's eyes widened, "And since all the banks are closed today to celebrate that new holiday you created for them this year…."

Roy laughed, "That's right, Rose. He was acting like a gangster in order to get money for tonight. It would be a very bad thing for him not to have any money tonight, especially considering…."

"It's his and Riza's wedding anniversary tonight," his wife finished for him.


	7. Anniversary

Anniversary

"Ah, sorry I'm late Riza. Have you been waiting long?"

Riza looked up from the dinner menu she had been reading a smiled at her husband, "Don't worry Edward, I just arrived here myself."

Edward sighed with relief as he sat down, his blond hair was tied in a braid. The suit he wore was only a couple of steps down from a tuxedo, and he wore gloves over his hands. "How was your day today honey? I didn't get to see you as much as I wanted to today."

Riza rolled her eyes, "I'll think you'll get over it, Ed. And my day today was nice." She brushed a lock of her long her behind her ear, the silver bracelet on her wrist glinting in the light of the fancy restaurant. She wore a slim black dress that complemented her figure with good taste. "I found out something good today, but I'll tell you about it later."

Ed smiled at her, reached across the table, and held her hand. "Whatever you say, dear. I think our waiter has arrived."

She looked up and their waiter walked up to their table as she did so. "Are you ready to order?"asked the waiter.

She smiled and said, "Yes, I believe we are. I would like the roast duck, with the mango sauce. And I would also like some more of this wine, if you don't mind."

The waiter nodded his head and turned towards Edward, "And you sir?"

Edward gazed at the menu for a moment before looking up and saying, "I would like the steak with potatoes, and I'll drink whatever it is she is drinking." He handed the man their menus, and then took off his gloves and set them to the side.

The waiter inclined his head, "Very well sir, you food shall be out momentarily."

After receiving their drinks, Ed looked at Riza and said, "Do you mind if I go ahead and give your gift now, Riza?"

Riza watched as Edward pulled out a small box from his suit pocket. "Thank you, Edward. Here's yours." She handed him a small box as well.

They both looked at each other and grinned, and no words were necessary to tell each other that they should both open their gifts at the same time. Ed opened his box, and took out a pair of gloves with transmutation circles on the back. Riza opened hers, and noticed that the wedding ring she had broken had been fixed. "Ed..." she said, her eyes growing teary as she smiled at him. "Thank you so much." She took off her cheap replacement wedding band and put her restored wedding ring back where it belonged, on her finger.

"Riza," Ed choked out, "are these what I think they are?"

Riza nodded, "I thought that, since you figured out the alchemy behind the tattoo on my back, that you deserved them. You never know when they might come in handy."

He put them away in his suit pocket, before reaching out and gripping her left hand with his. He ran his hand over her knuckles, over her ring, over her fingers, savoring the feeling of the smoothness of her skin. "Thank you very much, Riza. I'm a very lucky man to be married to a woman like you." He kissed her fingers, "Happy anniversary, beloved."

"Happy anniversary, Edward."

-- -- -- --

Fin

AN: Another day, another oneshot, or so they say. Today marks the one year anniversary of this collection, with almost seven fics being written and thrown out before I finally decided to write RizaxEd, the name of the fic being changed, and my fic made it into my favorite Fullmetal Alchemist Community on . It's been a fun journey so far, and I plan to keep going hopefully for yet another year. Here's hoping this one will be both more productive and more fun at the same time.

-Karkashan


	8. A bone crushing hug

A bone crushing hug. 

"Tell me, Elric, do you fear death?"

Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, ran through the halls of the sprawling military complex that had been taken over by a crazed madman. He held a rifle in his hand that was connected to a strap that hung on his shoulder.

"Do you not fear the terrible pain of your heart ceasing to beat?"

Ed jumped into the middle of a hallway, aiming and firing two quick shots before anyone else could do a thing about it. He then picked up the pace again as he rushed down the halls. The bodies of the two guards he had shot hit the ground with little fanfare.

"We both know you have no qualms about killing, so I wonder if you'll have a problem with someone killing you?"

Ed ignored the voice that resounded over the intercom as he crouched behind a wooden crate containing oranges. He stayed where he was, gun at the ready, for a total of twelve heartbeats before he jumped up and fired a shot straight into the approaching guards chest.

"I hope you don't have a problem with it, because I plan to kill you tonight, Fullmetal Alchemist."

Two other guards heard the shot and burst into the hallway, but were immediately subdued with alchemy, causing their legs and arms to break as well. Edward wasted no time as he rushed up the flight of stairs.

"I will kill you for what you did to me, Edward Elric. You helped that weakling of a brother of mine rise to power, you let that stupid Ling become Emperor."

Edward burst through the double doors at the top of the staircase. He shot four of the eight guards dead immediately, before ducking under cover behind a wall. He heard the guards scrambling for cover as well, so he clapped his hands and used alchemy to seal off the opposite end of the hallway. He then casually stepped out into the hallway and snapped his fingers.

The resulting explosion was a glorious thing to see, especially considering how contained it was in order not to damage the structure of the building. Edward then rushed down the hall towards the wall he had created in order to keep the blast contained. He clapped his hands and the wall dissolved. He then used his automail leg to break down the double doors leading into the command room. The sight that greeted him was surprising at the same time that it wasn't.

Riza held a handgun in her hand, still smoking from a recent discharge. Where she had come by such an archaic version of a handgun, Ed had no idea. The half-brother of Ling lay in a pool of his own blood, a hole right between his eyes.

Riza rushed forward and gave her husband a hug. "Are you all right, Edward? I heard you were thrown over a cliff."

Edward gripped his wife tightly, pulling back slightly only in order kiss her forehead, "I'm all right, Riza. I'm glad you aren't hurt."

As they were walking away from the complex, Riza was a little unsteady on her feet. "Are you sure you are okay Riza? That bastard didn't do anything to you did he?"

Riza shook her head. "Then what's wrong?" he asked.

Riza gave her husband another hug, "Edward, I'm not sure exactly how to tell you this, but here it goes. I'm pregnant." Ed stared at her blankly, "You're going to be a father, Edward."

Riza had always been confused by what people meant exactly when they talked about bone crushing hugs. After she had told Edward he was going to be a father, however, she never had to wonder what they felt like ever again.

-- -- -- --

FIN

AN:It's been to long since I wrote one of these. Hope it's up to snuff with my others.

Reviews are welcome.


	9. Your sword, Madame?

I do believe that this sword belongs to you, madame

"_I don't really get it, but isn't it a touching reunion?" Greelin, during Xiao Mei and Mei Chan's reunion._

"Darius, Heinkel, what are your thoughts about this situation?" asked a blond haired, goatee wearing Major General of Amestris.

"Something isn't right, sir." Said the tall man with black hair. "This just doesn't sit right with me."

"I agree with Darius." Said the other man, his pale blond hair and mustache adding another ten years to his apparent age. "There is no reason for this attack, sir. Whoever is in charge of these Drachmans is a fool."

The slim general rubbed at his goatee, staring out at the valley laid out before him. He sat upon the wide cement railing, the two men he was talking to standing at ease behind him. "You may be right, Heinkel. It does appear that way, especially considering where we are, and who we are."

"It's almost as if they sent those men out here to die." Said Darius in a soft voice. Heinkel's eyes narrowed as he looked over the valley as well. He did not say anything, since Darius had said what was on his mind.

"It doesn't matter," said the General. "Even if Drachma had unleashed its full military might upon us, they would have fallen."

The General spun around and placed his legs on the ground. He stood up to his full height and made to leave his current location. However, as he gave one last glance at the carnage, he spoke in a quiet voice, "So long as strong soldiers like the ones we have are defending this place, so long as their courage never falters, so long as _I_ am in command of this place, Briggs will never fall. Let's go then, we have much work to do."

The two large men fell into step behind him. "Sir yes sir!" they said as the headed inside the mighty fortress.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Major General Olivia Armstrong surveyed the reconstruction that was being done on the ancestral home of the Armstrong family. Her eyes roamed the work already completed, her head nodding in approval once she saw that the work was being done properly.

She heard a noise and turned her head to see one of the subordinates she had taken with her from Briggs. The young Lieutenant saluted her smartly before speaking, "General sir! I have retrieved the information you requested!"

She raised an eyebrow, "Go on then, tell me who Fuhrer Mustang replaced me with up at Briggs. He must be good, to repel an attack from Drachma like that without losing any men."

The young man nodded, "Yes ma'am! The General who replaced you was the one you replaced when you first arrived at Briggs!"

Olivia's eyes widened and she dismissed the soldier before making her way back to her bedroom. Once inside she removed her jacket and her boots, placing them on and underneath the chair, respectively. She walked over to her dresser and picked up the blade that rested their. Gently, she ran a hand down the length of the blade, it's metal glowing a bloody orange as it reflected the setting sun.

She closed her eyes and held the sword closer to her body. "So, you are once again in charge of that fortress we both love so much, General. I hope...that you aren't disappointed by the way I handled it while you were here, in Central. I want to see you again sir, so I can properly thank you for this blade that you gave me."

She set the sword back on the dresser, before changing out of her clothing into a set of blue winter pajamas. As she laid down in her bed, staring at the ceiling, she said, "I hope I can tell you...that...next time we meet, General Edward Elric."

-- --

TBC? Probably

AN: Kind of a weird AU story idea I had. I may or may not continue it. We'll just have to see how that goes.


	10. Mr Tintin

Mr. Tin-tin

"Papa!!! Papa help!!!"

Hearing a plea for help coming from the kitchen, twenty nine year old Edward Elric rushed through his household as fast as his feet could carry him. Upon making it to the desired room, Ed came upon his six year old daughter hanging on to a cabinet door handle for dear life, as her body was dangling precariously over nothing but cold hard tile five feet below.

Ed was quick to rush over and pull his daughter into his arms. "Alexia," Edward said in a confused 'papa' voice, "why were you doing something as dangerous as that?"

Little Alexia threw her arms around her father's neck, clinging to him as if she was holding on for dear life. Her voice hysterical, Alexia quickly explained what happened to her father. "Papa, I'm so sorry! I just wanted a cookie but I couldn't reach it even with a chair so I decided to climb onto the counter but then I slipped and I gripped the handle but no matter what I did I couldn't get back up and I was so so so so so so so so scared, Papa!!!" She then began to cry and gripped Edward's neck even tighter than she had before.

Ed's expression softened slightly as he made his way over to the couch inside the living room. He gently rocked his 'baby' girl in his arms, offering comforting words while he tried to 'shh' her anxiety away. "Shh, it's okay sweetie, it's okay. Daddy's got you now, sweetie, daddy's got you. Shh. You're safe now, Alexia. The mean old floor won't hurt you, 'cause daddy won't let you fall. Shh, it's alright, it's alright."

Edward ran his fingers through his daughters dirty blond hair, which helped calm her down by a considerable amount. "Now then, do you want daddy to get you Mr. Louis?" His daughter shook her head no, "Mr. Fuzzy?" Again, another shake of the head no. "Ah, I see. You want Mr. Tin-tin, don't you sweetie?" His daughter shyly nodded into her father's neck. Edward smiled at this, "Okay then, sweetie, you just lay here while daddy gets you Mr. Tin-tin and some blankets."

After recovering said stuffed doll and some blankets to keep his daughter warm, Ed was quick to make his way back to his daughter. On his way there, he came across his wife, Riza, who seemed to have just woken up from a nap herself.

"What's all the commotion, Edward?" Riza asked him as she finished tying the robe that she had put on over her nightgown. "I thought I heard screaming."

Ed sighed as he gave his wife a warm hug, blankets and Mr. Tin-tin and all. "Our daughter decided that hanging from one of the cabinet doors would be a good way of giving her father a heart attack at an early age."

Riza gasped softly as the two began to make their way back towards the living room, "How did that happen?!"

Ed shook his head tiredly, "She wanted a cookie, apparently."

Riza placed a hand to her mouth, "Oh no, I forgot to move those cookies to the cookie jar before I took my nap, so that Alexia could have one if she wanted. She's usually good about not spoiling her appetite, so I told her she could get one herself whenever she wanted, but..."

Edward placed a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder, "It's okay, dear, everything is all right. Alexia knows she shouldn't try something like that again. She was actually rather scared by the experience, so I decided that a short nap time with Mr. Tin-tin might just be what the doctor ordered."

Riza chuckled softly, "It just might be."

Edward and Riza soon reached the living room, to come to the sight of an obviously extremely tired and worn out Alexia slumped on the couch. Riza smiled softly at her daughter and said, "Hey there, Alexia, how are you feeling?"

Alexia sniffed, "I just wanted a cookie momma, but then I got so so so scared and I didn't know what to do and-"

Riza cut her off by placing a finger to the child's lips, before enveloping her only daughter in her very best motherly hug. "It's okay, Alexia. You'll never have to go through that again. Mommy will always make sure that if you need something or want to get something for yourself that I said that you could have, you'll be able to reach it, or at the very least, you can always get either me or daddy to get it for you, okay?" Alexia nodded her head cutely at her mother, which made Riza smile. "Okay then, how about you take a nap real quick with Mr. Tin-tin. I think he'll enjoy it, he always does, you know."

Alexia beamed at her parents as she glomped the stuffed doll that was a comical replica of a suit of armor that had been very familiar to the two parents.

Later, as Edward and Riza watched their daughter sleep soundly with the gray colored doll in her arms, the Mrs. Elric turned towards her husband and said, "I never thought that the gift that your sister-in-law gave to our daughter as a joke would be Alexia's favorite, did you?"

"That reminds me," said Edward, "when is Evelyn due, by the way?"

Riza twirled a strand of her own hair with her fingers she though about it. "Oh, sometime in late July, I think. Why do you ask?"

Ed smiled at his wife as he gave her another hug, "It tells me how much time I have to come up with an appropriate gift for my niece, is all. I doubt I'll come up with anything to top 'Mr. Tin-tin', but I can certainly try, can't I?"

Riza smiled back at her husband, "I think I have a few ideas, my husband. I'll tell you about them after dinner, okay?"

"I can't wait, Riza."

----------- ---------------

FIN

AN: Ah!!!! It's been too long, my comrades! Okay, then, here's some more EdxRiza stuff this time, since I got the vibe that ya'll didn't really take to my last chapter with the weird AU with Ed as the General of Briggs. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and little Alexia Elric.

And yes, Mr. Tin-tin is a tiny Armor-Al doll, but a lot cuter than what you're probably thinking.

Peace out, dudes and duddettes, and try to obey the speed limit (where applicable).


End file.
